Former president and veteran Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee was awarded the prestigious Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, by President Ram Nath Kovind. Apart from Mukherjee the late Assamese singer-musician Bhupen Hazarika and late social worker Nanaji Deshmukh also were conferred this honour post humously.
The glittering felicitation ceremony was held at the Durbar Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhawan, it was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President M Venkaikah Naidu, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and several Union Cabinet Ministers.
Mukherjee thanked President Kovind for the honour, and dedicated it to the people of India “My heartfelt gratitude to Rashtrapatiji and the people of our nation for bestowing the Bharat Ratna on me. This honour is more for the people of our country from whom I have received much more than I have been able to give,” Mukherjee.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot as an inspirational personality and said that he had served the country in myriad of ways “Congratulations to the former President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, for being awarded Bharat Ratna. He has served the nation selflessly for decades in myriad ways and has inspired an entire generation of politicians with his knowledge, wisdom and experience.”
Former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Madan Mohan Malviya were the last winners of Bharat Ratna being awarded in 2015 by the Narendra Modi government.
Mukharjee has won several awards in his illustrious career being hounoured with the Padma Vibhushan- India’s second highest civilian award in 2008.
He won the Best Parliamentarian Award in 1997 and in 2011 was awarded the Best Administrator in India Award
